School District, union support review of testing practices

Marion County officials with the school district and the teachers union on Tuesday welcomed a state review of standardized testing practices of all the state’s 67 public school districts.

State Education Commissioner Pam Stewart ordered the review late Monday and asked the Department of Education to gather accurate information about the number of tests districts administer annually to meet federal, state and local requirements. DOE staff will compile the information and analyze the data.

“The findings will provide policy makers, district administrators, parents and teachers with information about the number of standardized tests and how each of the test results are used by the state, school boards and teachers,” a DOE release noted.

The primary purpose of the report will be to increase transparency for parents about the use of standardized testing in Florida’s public schools.

The news comes after parent groups, school boards and other education groups statewide have been protesting what has been dubbed “testing fatigue.”